It’s Thursday, February 19. ICYMI Anthropic announced a $30 billion Series G that sent shockwaves through the software world. Sending shares of former darlings like Hubspot and Adobe into freefall. Marriott talks deploying AI at scale. Hyatt follows in Accor’s footsteps by unveiling its own ChatGPT app. AI now handles 1/3 of Airbnb’s support tickets. Tripadvisor activist Starboard Value says “adapt, or else.” Los Angeles approves a hotel tax hike ahead of the 2028 Olympics, bigger is no longer better at urban hotels and restaurants, and is free breakfast on its way out.
TOGETHER WITH YANOLJA CLOUD SOLUTION
Short-staffed and managing inefficient workflows, Evansville Inn & Suites faced growing operational friction that was slowing service and limiting performance.
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✅ Unified Operations: Integrated PMS, distribution, and on-site systems into one centralized platform—eliminating duplicate work and reducing errors.
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By modernizing its tech stack, Evansville Inn & Suites improved coordination, reduced inefficiencies, and built a stronger operational foundation for sustainable growth.
GOING DEEPER
1. Anthropic’s $30B Raise Signals AI’s Next Phase
Anthropic’s $30B raise at a $380B valuation reinforces the dominant market narrative: AI labs are racing up the stack, launching coding agents, enterprise plugins, and vertical tools that threaten traditional SaaS. In many categories, that fear is rational—thin workflow wrappers are exposed. In hospitality software, however, the structure of the business and the depth of operational context suggest the opposite outcome: AI may expand margins and strengthen core platforms rather than hollow them out.
🎯 Why it matters: Markets are compressing SaaS valuations under the assumption that conversational interfaces will commoditize the application layer. But hotel software is priced per room, not per seat, and functions as deeply embedded operational infrastructure—not just an interface on top of a model.
🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel leaders should resist lumping their core systems into the “AI will kill SaaS” bucket. In hospitality, automation expands operator margin without undermining vendor economics, because revenue scales with rooms—not seats. The priority now is clear: double down on platforms that own operational context (PMS, CRS, RMS) and push them to become systems of action with embedded AI governance. The risk isn’t AI replacing hotel software—it’s backing vendors that fail to evolve fast enough to orchestrate it. Read More →
2. Tripadvisor Activists Fed Up with Management
Activist investors including Starboard Value and Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund are increasing pressure on TripAdvisor, pushing for board changes and strategic reassessment amid stagnant share performance and shifting travel technology dynamics. Both camps argue that Tripadvisor must sharpen its focus on growth, monetization, and competitive differentiation as rival platforms (including AI-driven discovery tools and OTAs) reshape how travelers find and book trips.
🎯 Why it matters: For the past decade, Tripadvisor has been a central player in hotel reputation and traveler decision-making. Leadership or strategic shifts could alter how the platform approaches AI search, direct booking, and partner integrations, impacting the visibility and distribution strategies that your hotel deploys.
🔑 Key takeaway: Hotel executives should closely monitor and prepare for potential shifts in Tripadvisor’s product strategy, data access, and integration priorities. Strengthening your online presence, including reviews, structured content, and AI-ready data, will be table stakes if TripAdvisor doubles down on technology and differentiation. Read More →
3. Hopper: 50% of B2B Profit From Cancellation Products
Travelers are paying extra for flexibility — especially when plans go wrong. The report shows that during major disruption events, add-on products like “Cancel for Any Reason” see a 40–60% jump in sales. In one real-world example, Frontier Airlines’ rollout of HTS’ disruption protection earned a 9/10 customer satisfaction score and strong double-digit attach rates.
🎯 Why it matters: People don’t just want the cheapest room or flight anymore — they want peace of mind. When uncertainty hits (weather, shutdowns, delays), customers are much more willing to pay for options that let them cancel, rebook, or get refunds easily.
🔑 Key takeaway: Hotels should treat flexibility like a product, not a giveaway. First, offer paid flexible cancellation or refund options at checkout instead of discounting rates across the board — this protects ADR while giving guests choice. Second, make the option clear and simple during booking so guests understand what they’re buying. Third, automate the process as much as possible so cancellations and changes don’t overwhelm your front desk team. Read More →
TOOLS & TACTICS
⚒️ Hotel Tech Tools You’ve Gotta Try
✅ Yanolja Cloud Solution: Unify bookings, payments, distribution, and reporting to grow daily profit.
✅ Triptease: Drive higher direct booking revenue with data-led pricing, targeting, and messaging.
✅ Cloudbeds: All-in-one hotel management software at the speed of AI.
✅ Journey Rewards: Drive repeat visits & upsell revenue with targeted perks and rewards.
✅ Canary Technologies: Powerful but simple AI powered digital guest journey platform.
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Learn how ChatGPT and similar tools are fundamentally changing the way guests plan their trips and discover hotels and how you can secure visibility and bookings today.
AI agents are the key to unlocking measurable business impact. When used effectively, they can simplify workflows, centralize data, automate tasks, and help employees make faster, smarter decisions.
AROUND THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
Other hospitality happenings this week
💸 Analysts argue fears of a $285B SaaS wipeout are overstated as AI shifts revenue models.
📢 Perplexity joins anti-ad camp as AI companies battle over trust and revenue
🤖 Marriott accelerates systemwide tech overhaul, moving AI initiatives from pilots into live operations.
🥐 Hyatt, Holiday Inn, and Marriott reassess complimentary breakfast perks to offset rising labor and food costs.
🏨 IHG debuts lifestyle brand Noted while signing a record pipeline of 2025 hotel deals.
🍽️ In New York and London, high-end hospitality pivots to intimate concepts as luxury goes small-format.
📊 Restaurant operators double down on automation and loyalty tech in a cautious 2026 industry outlook.
🔎 Airbnb, Expedia, Hyatt, and Tripadvisor rethink SEO as AI answers bypass traditional search clicks.
🤝 Airbnb says 1 in 3 North American support inquiries are now handled by AI.
🧠 Travel executives debate whether generative AI could disrupt metasearch’s referral model.
📈 IHG posts solid Q4 results, buoyed by global RevPAR gains and pipeline expansion.
🌱 Aspen One opens two all-electric properties and pushes for stronger industry climate action in new sustainability strategy.
⚖️ New York now mandates transparency around algorithm-driven personalized pricing practices.
💬 Hyatt’s CEO credits AI-driven visibility and unveils a ChatGPT-powered booking assistant.
🌍 Marriott partners with Google to test agentic AI trip planning and direct booking integrations.
📢 Google pilots native travel ads inside AI search mode to monetize generative results.
📉 Expedia Group reports steady revenue growth in its 2025 full-year earnings update.
🏟️ Los Angeles advances a proposed hotel tax hike tied to the Olympics to fund major-event costs.
💰 IHG authorizes a $950M share buyback as execs project growth in the U.S. and China.
PODCAST SPOTLIGHT
Numa Head of Operations on Scaling Front Desk Free Hotels
What if you could run a 116-property hotel portfolio without a single traditional front desk? In this episode of Hotel Tech Insider, Julius Anders, Head of Operations at Numa, reveals how his team is redefining hospitality with technology at its core.
Key Takeaways:
AI-Driven Decision Making: How Numa uses data, automation, and AI to save up to 60% in payroll costs.
Guest Experience Reimagined: What a fully digital guest journey looks like—from booking to checkout—without a front desk.
Build vs. Buy Strategy: Why Numa develops 60% of its tech in-house and how that shapes innovation and operational agility.
With consumer behavior shifting and traditional hotel models under pressure, this conversation offers a roadmap for future-ready operations.
👉🏼 Check out the interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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